SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS (sig)

Consultants & Entrepreneurs

The purpose of the Consultant and Entrepreneur Special Interest Group is to provide an environment within ATD KC where independent consultants, contractors, and small business owners can thrive. Our unique community is made up of talent developers, instructional designers, learning and organizational change consultants, coaches, learning executives, and business owners. We exist to serve each other and learn from each other, develop referral networks, and provide for peer support and mentoring. The SIG strives to be a resource to all ATDKC members who are considering starting their own business or practice or who are already leading and developing businesses within a more traditional corporate structure. 

Shawn Foley

Consultant & Entrepreneur SIG Leader

Dr. Foley is a Performance Strategist at Foleyworks, which he started to help individuals work better together so they can create the change they want to see in the world. This includes offering services that boost organizations to achieve their full potential. His work brings essential elements and methods to educate, develop, and nurture people and teams.

Foleyworks’ services focus on the support mechanisms for success including metrics and measurement, education solutions and services, change management, organization development, the creation of governance models, program analysis and evaluation, and the isolation of initiative impact and influence.

Shawn holds a Doctor of Education in instructional Systems and Behavior Change from PA State University, an MS in Instructional Technology, and a BS in Education from Bloomsburg University. He also has a certification in Lean project management methodology and has been an IASSC Certified Black Belt.

Leadership Development

The ATDKC Leadership Special Interest Group is an engaged group of talent development professionals who are passionate about building leadership at all levels. Whether you're designing leadership programs, coaching emerging leaders, or shaping organizational strategy, this SIG is your space to connect, learn, and grow.

Amy Swaminathan

Leadership SIG Leader

Amy Swaminathan, CPTD® loves helping others reach their full potential. She’s a champion for driving your own career through ongoing development, learning from others, and using the benefits an ATD membership provides.

Amy has over two decades of learning and organizational development experience that includes leadership and employee experience design, facilitation, coaching, instructional design, and organizational effectiveness consulting. She earned the Certified Professional in Talent Development (CPTD) credential in 2018 and continues to learn to earn recertification requirements to impact personal, team, and organization strategies.

She finds great joy in traveling with her husband and son, watching KC Chiefs football, and helping others advocate for their aging parents.

Learning Technologies

This Learning Technologies Special Interest Group brings together professionals passionate about leveraging technology to enhance learning. Topics include eLearning, learning management systems (LMS), virtual training tools, and emerging trends like AI in learning.

Tory Hord

Learning Technologies

SIG Leader

Tory Hord is an Instructional Design Consultant with over 6 years of experience specializing in e-Learning development, video, graphics, and the full ID project cycle. Her passion lies in the partnership with clients and SMEs to ensure the final deliverables are aligned to business needs and strategic L&D goals.

Tory has a BS in Human Development and Family Studies and a MEd in Instructional Design and Technology, both from Texas Tech University. Tory also obtained the CPTD credentials in August 2023.

She has two rugrats at home, enjoys spending time outside, traveling, and you’ll probably find her at a couple conferences. She always has an open invitation to meet new people in L&D for coffee or lunch!

Talent Strategies

Focused on aligning people strategies with business goals, the Talent Strategies Special Interest Group explores workforce planning, talent acquisition, onboarding, employee engagement, and organizational development to drive performance and growth.

Sheena Lance-Nold

Director, Special Interest Groups

Sheena is an accomplished Senior Onboarding & Development Manager with over 15 years of experience designing and implementing innovative onboarding, training, and employee engagement programs. Her expertise has driven increased staff retention and success, resulting in consistent year-over-year improvements in employee satisfaction and organizational growth. Sheena’s leadership extends to areas such as talent development, cultural transformation, and strategic planning, empowering organizations to achieve their mission and strategic goals.

In her role as the Leader of the Onboarding Special Interest Group, Sheena brings her passion for fostering development and growth to the forefront, creating opportunities for professionals to share insights and best practices in onboarding and talent management.

In addition to her corporate leadership, Sheena is a recognized Work/Life Synergy Coach™. She was named one of US Reporter’s Top Life Coaches of 2023 and holds the distinction of being both an ICF Professional Certified Coach (PCC) and a Board Certified Coach. She has completed a Master’s degree in Positive Psychology with a focus on coaching, further enhancing her ability to support clients in achieving resilience, behavior change, and strengths-based leadership.

Her coaching practice is centered on helping leaders and professionals align their personal values with their professional aspirations, leveraging her proprietary ALIGN framework to foster sustainable success and well-being.

Mailing Address:

705 B SE Melody Lane, #311
Lee's Summit, MO 64063

SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS (sig)

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